A fiber array spectral translator (“FAST”) system when used in conjunction with a photon detector allows massively parallel acquisition of full-spectral images. A FAST system can provide rapid real-time analysis for quick detection, classification, identification, and visualization of the sample. The FAST technology can acquire a few to thousands of full spectral range, spatially resolved spectra simultaneously. A typical FAST array contains multiple optical fibers that may be arranged in a two-dimensional array on one end and a one dimensional (i.e., linear) array on the other end. The linear array is useful for interfacing with a photon detector, such as a charge-coupled device (“CCD”). The two-dimensional array end of the FAST is typically positioned to receive photons from a sample. The photons from the sample may be, for example, emitted by the sample, reflected off of the sample, refracted by the sample, fluoresce from the sample, or scattered by the sample. The scattered photons may be Raman photons.
In a FAST spectrographic system, photons incident to the two-dimensional end of the FAST may be focused so that a spectroscopic image of the sample is conveyed onto the two-dimensional array of optical fibers. The two-dimensional array of optical fibers may be drawn into a one-dimensional distal array with, for example, serpentine ordering. The one-dimensional fiber stack may be operatively coupled to an imaging spectrograph of a photon detector, such as a charge-coupled device so as to apply the photons received at the two-dimensional end of the FAST to the detector rows of the photon detector.
One advantage of this type of apparatus over other spectroscopic apparatus is speed of analysis. A complete spectroscopic imaging data set can be acquired in the amount of time it takes to generate a single spectrum from a given material. Additionally, the FAST can be implemented with multiple detectors. The FAST system allows for massively parallel acquisition of full-spectral images. A FAST fiber bundle may feed optical information from its two-dimensional non-linear imaging end (which can be in any non-linear configuration, e.g., circular, square, rectangular, etc.) to its one-dimensional linear distal end input into the photon detector.
A problem exists with the prior art's use of a FAST system. The linear array end of the FAST, when input into a photon detector, may become slightly misaligned so that an image produced may be shifted due to the misalignment. Furthermore, the peaks in a spectrum of the sample may not be aligned with the peaks of a known calibrated sample of the same substance and therefore the received peaks may not be calibrated. Additionally, the fibers in the FAST may not allow for a resolution of the resulting image to a degree necessary. The present disclosure, as described herein below, presents methods and systems for overcoming these deficiencies in the prior art.
The combination of calibration and reconstruction methods according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be useful among fiber optics imaging manufacturers. The calibration and image reconstruction approaches discussed herein are independent of any specific FAST-based imaging applications. Accordingly, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a method for obtaining a super resolution image of a sample, comprising: collecting photons from said sample at a first end of a fiber array spectral translator; delivering said photons from a second end of said fiber array spectral translator into a photon detector, wherein the photons from one fiber in said fiber array spectral translator are received by plural detector rows in said detector such that said photons received by each detector row have an associated received photon intensity value; interpolating between said plural detector rows to thereby form interpolated rows, wherein each of said interpolated rows is associated with an interpolated photon intensity value derived from the received photon intensity values of its neighboring detector rows; and arranging an output of said plural detector rows and said interpolated rows comprising said received photon intensity values and said interpolated photon intensity values, respectively, so as to obtain a super resolution image of said sample.
It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a system for obtaining a super resolution image of a sample, comprising: a fiber array spectral translator which collects photons from said sample at a first end of said fiber array spectral translator; a photon detector operatively connected to said fiber array spectral translator for receiving photons delivered from a second end of said fiber array spectral translator, wherein the photons from one fiber in said fiber array spectral translator are received by plural detector rows in said detector such that said photons received by each detector row have an associated received photon intensity value; a microprocessor unit for interpolating between said plural detector rows to thereby form interpolated rows, wherein each of said interpolated rows is associated with an interpolated photon intensity value derived from the received photon intensity values of its neighboring detector rows; and said microprocessor unit for arranging an output of said plural detector rows and said interpolated rows comprising said received photon intensity values and said interpolated photon intensity values, respectively, so as to obtain a super resolution image of said sample.